


Standing at the Crossroads

by sinceresapphire



Category: Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Ambiguous/Open Ending, Gen, no happy ending
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-02-19
Updated: 2016-02-19
Packaged: 2018-05-21 16:39:02
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,012
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6058513
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/sinceresapphire/pseuds/sinceresapphire
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Trip returns to the team alive but Daisy is having trouble coping.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Standing at the Crossroads

**Author's Note:**

> Set between the end of Season 2 and the beginning of Season 3.

The discovery that Trip was still alive after what happened in San Juan all those months ago, shook the team to the core. It was a situation that none of them had been trained for, not ever Coulson and May.

Shock was the first emotion that everyone felt to no one’s surprise. Then came relief as a weight fell from all of their shoulders. Once things started to settle down, that’s when joy made its presence known, at least for most of the team.

There was one member who was struggling with more but no one saw what was happening as they were too caught up in Trip’s return.

Daisy wasn’t surprised to find the gym empty so early in the morning.

Everyone else on the team seemed to be staying close to Trip and she couldn’t blame them but she needed this; the silence, the stillness, the absolute emptiness of human life.

As she approached the punching bag, she wrapped her hands like she had been taught to…..taught by _him,_ probably the only right thing he did.

She placed her water bottle down on the floor just out of the way so she wouldn’t knock it down by accident.

Then she got into the proper form and took a deep breath.

_Thump….thump…..thump…._

Her fists repeatedly hit the bag as she tried to focus on what was in front of her but Daisy couldn’t help letting her mind wander.

How different were the team’s reactions to her and to Trip.

Trip said that he had developed the ability to run at the speed of light and that was how he got out of the underground city.

At the announcement, the team took it in stride, which after everything they have gone through lately shouldn’t surprise her but it did.

Daisy hoped that they had learned from how they treated her but the realistic side of her couldn’t help thinking that it was just the sheer relief that he was alive and back with the team, that they were just going to accept his ability.

The speed of her punches increased as she let her emotions flow through her.

The hurt that her team unintentionally caused her was the first thing that she identified but then more came pouring out like a dam on a river bursting.

There was fear that this was all a dream and they’d wake up tomorrow to find him gone, that all he was……was a ghost of the past, a figment of their imagination.

Then she shouldn’t have been surprised to discover guilt because he would never have gone back down there if it hadn’t been for her but it was something that she had to live with.

While the team had a weight lifted from their shoulders, the one on hers only increased in weight.

Daisy identified next because it was wrapped around the guilt like a rope around a pole was the small amount self hatred that she thought she locked away but apparently, the lock broke and it escaped.

Even though she didn’t think Trip had a hateful bone in his body, she was still afraid that he would hate her because Mack did. Well maybe not hate, but it still was unpleasant and it would be worse with Trip because he actually changed.

What surprised her most were the other emotions she couldn’t really describe that were trying to drown her.

The slight vibrations that were causing her water bottle rattle caught her attention.

Daisy’s fists came to a stop and she flattened them against the bag.

Taking a couple deep breaths, she realized that she didn’t feel better but the shaking stopped.

She leaned her forehead against the bag between her hands and closed her eyes as she tried to fight the tears that wanted to escape.

Of course she was happy that Trip wasn’t dead but things were different now and somehow, that made this harder.

All the fears and doubts she had when she first came back from San Juan were flooding her mind and she just wanted to scream.

The only thing Daisy has ever wanted was to protect the people who meant the most to her but she’s failed.

She’s not a perfect hero and never will be but the same could be said about the Avengers.

Letting out a sigh, she pulled away from the punching bag and wiped away her tears before grabbing her water bottle and taking a long swig.

Daisy left the room to hit the showers then get something to eat before going about the rest of her day.

A few days had passed and Daisy is working hard to try to track down more Inhumans so she can help them and maybe, persuade them to join her team; though, helping them was her primary goal because she got help when she needed it and now, wants to do the same for them.

She sighed because it was her fault that they were in this position of needing help in the first place.

Coulson walked into the room causing her to pause her search to look at him.

“I have someone that I want to join the Secret Warriors.”

He handed her over the personnel file and she had a strong feeling that she knew who it was.

Opening the file, the photo that stared up at her was Trip.

“Won’t he need to be cleared first?”

Coulson nodded.

“Dr. Garner will be making another trip,” his lips twitched at the pun he made,” to talk to Trip and Simmons indicated that he would be cleared for field work shortly. I want you and Mack to put him through his paces when that happens.”

“Of course, DC. “

Coulson retreated from the room as she looked over the file more closely.

Daisy knew that leaving wasn’t an option, wasn’t the right thing to do so she would suck it up and deal. Maybe, one day she would find the courage to approach Trip and talk to him like she used to.


End file.
